weather an interdisciplinary unit designed for fourth grade informational writing: report science

WeatherAn Interdisciplinary Unit Designed for

Fourth GradeInformational Writing: Report

Science

Heather Carmichael

Heather Carmichael, READ 7140, OWA

Georgia Writing Test: 5th grade

• Students are scored at the state level.

• They may receive a topic on any of the genres of writing.

• Scored in four domains: ideas, organization, style, and conventions.


Georgia Writing Test: 5th grade

• The students are given a total of

120 minutes to complete the test.

• A make up test will be given the next day.

• This unit will prepare students for the fifth grade writing test, by helping them learn how to write an informational report.


Writing Prompt

• Materials:• Paper• Pencils• Students will be given a total of 60 minutes to

complete a prewriting activity, and a rough draft.• Topics:

– Explain, in a friendly letter, the prewriting stage of the writing process.

– Write a journal entry about the best day of your life.


Content Area Connection

• Science

• S4E3. Students will differentiate between the states of water and how they relate to the water cycle and weather.

• e. Investigate different forms of precipitation and sky conditions. (rain, snow, sleet, hail, clouds, and fog).


Prewriting

• Instructional grouping options:– Whole Group: Information will be delivered as

a whole group. As a class, we will look at the model, and complete a practice activity.

– Individual: Students will complete their graphic organizer independently. They will be seated in groups of four. Students will be expected to ask their partners before they come and ask me a question.


Prewriting

• Group Options Related to Student’s Developmental needs:– The student with the hearing impairment will

be placed close to the front of the classroom where she is able to hear the material that the teacher is giving.

– The student with the visual impairment will be sitting at the front of the classroom, where he is able to view the material without straining.


Prewriting

• First stage of the writing process

• 70% of writing times should be spent here

• Purpose is to gather ides

• A graphic organizer can be used.


I nformational Writing Graphic Organizer Name: ____________________________________________

Topic: I am writing all about ____________________________________. Questions: I have three questions about my topic. They are:

1) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I n the boxes below write the source where you gathered your information and write the answers to the questions that you have. Source 1:

Source: Question 1: Question 2: Question 3:


Source 2: Source 3: Carmichael, H. (2009). Informational writing graphic organizer. Unpublished manuscript. Valdosta State University.




Grading Rubric for I nformational Writing Element Meets Expectations

(2 points) Needs I mprovement (1 Point)

No Attempt (0 Points)

Topic The student included a topic.

The student did not attempt to include a topic.

Questions The student provided three questions that were relevant to the content.

The student provided less than three questions.

The student did not attempt to include questions.

Sources The student included three sources of information.

The student included less than three sources of information.

The student did not attempt to find sources.

Answers The student provided answers to the questions that he/she asked based on their sources.

The student did not attempt to answer their questions.

Total: Total Number of Points Received: Comments: Carmichael, H. (2009). Grading rubric for informational writing. Unpublished manuscript. Valdosta State University.


Prewriting

• Accommodations and/or modifications for students developmental needs– Above grade level: These students will be

expected to provide greater detail on their graphic organizer.

– Below grade level: Students below grade level will have a modified version of the rubric to be graded on that is only seen by the teacher. The teacher will allow students to attempt the grade level material.


Prewriting• Accommodations for Students with

differing cultural or linguistic backgrounds– The student with the vision impairment will be

given a graphic organizer that is written in bold print, and a rubric that will be bolded as well.

– The student with the hearing impairment will be provided with an FM transmitter so that he can hear the instruction clearer.

– Students who are bilingual will be provided with an English to Spanish picture dictionary.


Drafting

• Second stage of the writing process.

• Use information gathered during prewriting to compose draft

• Graphic organizer is very helpful


Drafting Grading Rubric Name: ________________________________ Standard Meets Standard Needs Improvement Heading Rough Draft is written at the top

of the paper. Rough Draft is not written at the top of the paper.

Skipped Lines Student skipped lines on the draft.

Student did not skip lines when writing draft.

Back of the Paper Student did not write on the back of the paper.

Student wrote on the back of the paper.

Graphic Organizer Student used graphic organizer to compile rough draft.

Student did not use graphic organizer to write draft.

Facts Student included facts from his/her research.

Student did not include facts from his/her research.

Carmichael, H. (2009). Drafting grading rubric. Unpublished manuscript. Valdosta State University. Heather Carmichael, READ 7140,

OWA

Revising

• Third stage of the writing process

• Focus on getting the content right

• Rearrange, remove, add, delete


Informational Writing: Revision Rubric

Author_________________ Title_____________________________

Exceeds Standard

3

Meets Standard

2

Somewhat Meets Standard

1

Does Not Meet

Standard

0

Add

8 or more additions were made

7 to 5 additions were made

5-3 additions were made

2 or less additions were made

Delete

All unnecessary information or words were deleted

Most unnecessary information or words were deleted

Some unnecessary information or words were deleted

There is information or words that need to be deleted, yet no deletions were made.

Substitute/

Move

All rearrangements were made as necessary

Most rearrangements were made to clarify writing

Some rearrangements were made to clarify writing

There is information or words that need to be rearranged but nothing has been moved or substituted.


Details

Adjectives were added to the writing to make the content more interesting

Some adjectives were added to the writing to make the content more interesting.

Few adjectives were added to the writing to make the content more interesting

No adjectives were added to the writing to make the content more interesting.

Organization

Adjustments have been made so that the article flows from beginning to ending

Some adjustments have been made so that the article flows from beginning to ending

Few adjustments have been made so that the article flows from beginning to ending

No adjustments have been made, the article does not flow

Resources

Used 3 sources Used 2 sources Used 1 source

Proofreader’s Marks

All proofreader’s marks are used correctly

Most proofreader’s marks are used correctly

Some proofreader’s marks are used correctly

No proofreader’s marks have been used

Total Points _____________ + 4pts =_______________ Total possible points = 25 pts. 3 = Indicates the level required to exceed the PLO 2 = Indicates the level required to meet the PLO 1 = Indicates the level required to somewhat meet the PLO 0 = Indicates the PLO not being meet.

Oakley, L.(2009). Modified from: Kidd, L. (2007) Informational prewriting scoring guide. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from Dr. Root’s Website: http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/troot/read7140/Writing_Assesments.htmHeather Carmichael, READ 7140,

OWA

http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/troot/read7140/Writing_Assesments.htm

Editing

• Fourth stage of the writing process.

• Correct the mechanics of our piece of writing.


Editing Scoring Guide (4th grade) Name__________________

Exceeds Standard

3

Meets Standard

2

Somewhat Meets

Standard 1

Does not Meet Standard

0

Self Score

Teacher Score

Spelling All misspelled words have

been circled or there are no misspelled

words

Most misspelled words have been circled

Some misspelled words have been circled

No misspelled words have been circled

Complete sentences

All sentences are complete

1-2 sentences are not

complete

More than 2 sentences are not complete

Subject-predicate

All sentences have subject-

verb agreement

1-2 sentences Do not have subject-verb agreement

More than 2 sentences do

not have subject-verb agreement

Punctuation marks

All punctuation is correct:

ending marks, commas, quotation

marks

All sentences have correct ending marks

1-2 sentences are missing

ending marks or have

incorrect ending mark

More than 2 sentences are missing ending marks or have

incorrect ending mark

All sentences begin with

capital letter

1-2 sentences do not begin with capital

letter

More than 2 sentences do not begin with capital letter

Capitalization

All proper nouns are capitalized

Most proper nouns are

capitalized

Some proper nouns are capitalized

No proper nouns are capitalized

Color of editing marks

All editing marks are

made using a diff erent

colored pen

Most editing marks are

made using a diff erent

colored pen

A diff erent color pen or

pencil was not used to edit

writing

Proof reading Marks

All proof reading

marks are used correctly

Most proof reading


Some proof reading


No proof reading marks have

been used or all have been used

incorrectly

Total Score:

Kidd, L. (2007). Expository prewriting scoring guide. Unpublished rubric, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.


Publishing

• Publishing is the best stage of the writing process!

• Final stage of the writing process.

• Writing is put into its final form.


Publishing Scoring Guide

Name: ________________ Date: _________________

Exceeds Standard

3

Meets Standard

2

Partially Meets

Standard 1

Does Not Meet Standard

0

Content -Content has relevant facts, supporting details, or explanations

-Content has mostly relevant facts, supporting details, or explanations

-Content has limited facts, supporting details, and/or explanations

-Content lacks related facts, supporting details, and/or explanations

Organization -Organizing structure that includes paragraphs - Engages reader creatively, relates significant events, and moves to a clear conclusion

- Organizing structure that includes paragraphs - Engages the reader, relates significant events, and moves to a conclusion

-Organizing structure with very few paragraphs - Minimally developed sequence of events and fails to fully engage the reader or conclude story

-Organization lacks paragraphing structure - Sequence of events is not present or confusing and fails to engage the reader or conclude story

Voice -Appropriate to topic, purpose, and audience - Engaging

Voice is present -Shows an awareness of audience - Writing is somewhat engaging

- inconsistent or weak - Shows limited awareness of audience

Little or no voice is evident - Awareness of audience or personal involvement is not evident

Sentence Fluency

Sentences flow - Sentence length, structure, and complexity is varied

Sentences flow - Sentence structures are varied

Sentences are fragmented, run-on or confusing - Sentence structures are

Sentences are incomplete and/or unclear Heather Carmichael, READ 7140,

OWA

Word Choice Uses dramatic descriptive language - Enables the reader to visualize the events or experiences

Uses descriptive language - Enables the reader to visualize the events or experiences

Uses limited, repetitive word choice - Gives a visual picture

Uses limited, repetitive word choice - Does not give a visual picture

Mechanics Contains few if any errors in mechanics that makes the writing easy to read and understand

Contains some mechanical errors that do not interfere with the meaning

Contains frequent mechanical errors that are noticeable and confuse the reader

Sentences flow - Sentence length, structure, and complexity is varied

Martin, L.L. (2007). Publishing Scoring Guide. Unpublished manuscript. Valdosta State University. (READ 7140). GA.


weather an interdisciplinary unit designed for fourth grade informational writing: report science

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